How to Stay Productive in a Pandemic

by Theresa Wu

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Like millions of people across the world, my daily routine was greatly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the stay-at-home orders that followed suit. As a college student, I had been living in a dorm, going to lecture halls filled with hundreds of students, and enjoying my first year of college by exploring the beautiful city of Berkeley. When I first moved back home, I struggled to get back into a rhythm and stay productive. I spent hours a day shelled up in my room watching Netflix shows or scrolling through Twitter. Fortunately, as the months went on I was able to develop helpful habits that kept me productive, and on top of my schoolwork and daily activities. These do not only apply to college students, but apply to anyone who is struggling to be productive in the pandemic.      

​The first important thing to do is to maintain a strict calendar of all activities. Especially during the digital age, zoom links are being emailed out constantly. Many times, these emails get buried and it is hard to remember when exactly a meeting is. Transferring everything to a calendar (I prefer using Google Calendar), and including the zoom link in the scheduling notes not only allows people to easily find their way to meetings, but also have a visual aid to see what the future weeks or months will look like. Color coding the calendar is also a great way to stay on top of all events.      

Another task I do to stay productive is cleaning my room constantly! While this may seem pretty intuitive, I find it much easier to stay organized and productive in a clean space. Especially since I spend hours a day at the desk in my bedroom, keeping a clean space helps me get into a better mental mindset. Playing some light music and turning on my diffuser also helps my mood, and in turn my productivity.      

Even though we are all stuck at home, staying active should remain a priority! Despite many gyms being closed, there are still a lot of options to stay active and healthy. Even going on a short 30 minute walk is a great way to get some fresh air. There are also many effective ways to stay active for free on the internet, if you do not want to get a virtual trainer or a Peloton. Early on in quarantine, I found many great at home workout videos on YouTube. All you need for these is a yoga mat, and the discipline to get through it! Although in the moment it can feel difficult, afterwards the feeling of achievement carries on during the day, and not only helps your physical health, but your mental health as well.      

​These are just a few of the changes you can make to your daily routine to stay more productive in this pandemic. These might seem simple and straightforward, but incorporating these tasks into your life will have a drastic impact on your efficiency and productivity. 

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